Multi-marker study of the response of bivalve mollusk Unio tumidus induced by the compounds of typical municipal effluents

Abstract

The pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) became the most typical pollutants of the surface waters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the combine exposure to the common compounds of the municipal effluents, constituent of plastics bisphenol A (BPA) and popular medicine nifedipine (Nfd), on the model orga nism, a mussel Unio tumidus. Male U. tumidus were exposed for 14 days to the com bination of Nfd (10 μM) and BPA (0.88 nM). The indices of oxidative stress, metabolic, immune and endocrine activity, metal balance, as well as the manifestations of toxicity were detected. The exposure caused the features known for the effect of Nfd: the ac tivation of the oxidative stress response, particularly Cu,Znsuperoxide dismutase (by 6.0 times), glutathione and oxyradical levels, metabolic shift to the anaerobiosis due to the elevated level of lactate in the digestive gland. The manifestation of endocrine dis ruption typical for the BPA effect the increased level of alkalilabile phosphates (vitel logeninlike proteins) in gonads was detected. The caspase3 related apoptotic activity was suppressed; whereas the cathepsin D mediated proteolysis and immune response of phenoloxidase were up-regulated significantly. The signs of geno-, neuro-and cyto toxicity were detected. These results detect that the approximation of the experimental conditions to the environmentally realistic situation could assist the comprehensive fore casting of the effects of utilized PPCPs for the aquatic animals.

The effect of Roundup on the bivalve Unio tumidus mollusk utilizing ex vivo approach

“…The in vitro approaches, such as the use of cell lines, primary cultures and reporter gene assays, have been successfully applied to test the toxicity of environmental chemicals [12]. The developed ex vivo approach seems to be more biologically relevant comparing to isolated cells due to the maintained natural inter-cellular interactions [14]. The experiments with the tissues of mollusks had started only recently [28; 17], despite these organisms are among the most frequently used in aquatic toxicology to detect adverse impacts in the environment.…”

The content of metals in metallothioneins of the bivalve mollusk Unio tumidus depen­ding on different in situ and in vitro exposures

“…Bivalve mollusks are known as the most effective filter feeding aquatic organisms. They accumulate different toxic substances from water, including toxic metals [7,11]. Therefore, the elucidation of properties of their MTs can provide utilizing of these organ isms in the bioremediation of the reservoirs.…”